ROURKELA: As many as 17 devotees were injured, five of them seriously, after a rock fell on them while they were climbing up a hill to reach the Jatiapahar temple under Birmitrapur police limits in Sundargarh district on Friday forenoon.
Thee temple is located atop the Jatiapahar Hill near Birmitrapur and the devotees were walking up the hill slope when the incident took place at about 11 am. While sources claimed some people were taking selfies on the rock which slipped from its place due to weight pressure, there was no official confirmation yet.
Inspector in-charge of the Biramitrapur police station AC Majhi said that 17 devotees were injured and five of them received critical wounds, adding none died in the incident so far.
He said that the incident occurred when somehow the rock slipped from its place and came hurtling down on the devotees who were walking up through the slope of the hill towards the temple. Majhi added that police have no information about some people taking selfies on the rock leading to the mishap, adding all the injured persons were shifted to the Rourkela Government Hospital.